Optical switching networks, incorporating a plurality of optical fiber input ports and output ports, require some apparatus for switching the various input ports between the various output ports. A crossbar switch is one of the basic components of optical switching networks. An optical switch with, for example, N inputs and N outputs, must have the capability of connecting any light beam from any of the N input ports of the switch to any of the N output ports of the switch without interfering with any other beam or beams.
Various designs exist in the literature for non-blocking and blocking switches: the present invention is concerned with non-blocking switches in which an optical input at a given port may be sent to a second available or free output port without requiring any other established connection to be changed.
It would be highly advantageous, therefore, to remedy the foregoing and other deficiencies inherent in the prior art.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved meso-scale strictly non-blocking optical crossbar switch.